Want a way to save gas? According to CNNMoney.com all it takes it slowing down a little. Evidently going over 60 miles an hour reduces your fuel efficiency. For example, going 70 miles per hour is like paying an extra 54 cents per gallon on gas! We probably realize this but feel our time is more important. You might be surprised to know that very little time is actually saved. In light of this I’ve started slowing down on the expressway. I thought having people pass me would be embarrassing but I haven’t felt that way. Instead I feel good knowing I’m saving money and using less of our natural resources. I’m also finding that I’m not the only one slowing down. :)

Just a note: It’s always best to try walking, biking or using public transportation rather than driving, however I realize this isn’t always possible. Reducing the number of car trips we make and carpooling are also great options when driving.

I always wondered how I would tell if an egg had gone bad or not. Would it smell bad? Would it look different? Well, the other day I finally found out. I had TWO rotten eggs in the same dozen and they were HORRIBLE! I have never smelled something so awful in my life! The white part was pure liquid and the yolk was pure BLACK! They were unmistakable as rotten. I guess now I won’t have to wonder! Blechk!

I’ve wanted to do something special in Emma’s room for awhile now but I wasn’t sure what. Then I came up with the idea of dandelions. To me dandelions make me think of childhood innocence. Children delight in blowing the seeds off dandelion heads, watching the seeds float into the sky. It’s not even a thought in their mind that they are considered a weed. Thankfully Emma loves them and I love the idea that she is probably the only one in town with dandelions decorating her room! :)

While reading the other day I confirmed something I’ve always suspected but never looked into. My assumption was that what I eat while pregnant/nursing will set the stage for what my baby will prefer later. Research at the Monell Chemical Senses Center indicates that babies adjusted to foods quicker when they had been introduced to them before they were born. I guess this gives me one more motivation for eating healthily!
Once baby starts eating you can help them to like veggies by not giving in when they make a face or turn away from them. Research shows that if you keep trying to give it to them they will take it. With our daughter Emma we had her eat whatever we were eating. We would put portions of our dinner into a little hand-cranked baby food grinder. It was convenient to just throw the grinder in the diaper bag when we went out and made eating at home easier too because we didn’t have to warm up something special for her.